A New Start, A New Life
by Dawsongirlxo
Summary: What if Jack and Rose never got on the Titanic, but met on the docs instead. everything would be different...


**Authors note: wow it's been forever. Sorry, I've been MIA for so long I promise from now on I'll try to be as regular as possible. This is an updated version of an old story, it's a lot better, so I recommend reading it even if you have already read my old version. Hope you enjoy! make sure to leave your reviews and even story ideas because i read them all. Chapter two will be up soon. love you all. byeeee.**

Cal led the way through the crowd of people and vehicles, the hot spring sun beating down on his neck, causing beads of sweat to form in his hairline. As he weaved through the crowd, he crashed into a young boy. Carl, being the ignorant man he was, blamed the boy.

"Steady" he said gruffly. The small boy looked up with apologetic eyes.

"Sorry sir" he murmured, refusing to make eye contact with the big scary man. He then darted around Carl and ran off with a group of children similar to his age. Rose watched them go. Oh how she wished she could be one of them. They seemed so naive and carefree. With a last regretful glance, she slowly turned back to Cal.

"Sewage swine" he said "seems to have missed his yearly bath." Carl chuckled to himself, as if he had made some terribly funny joke. Roses Mother, Ruth also laughed, although Rose could tell she found no humour in the matter.

Rose sighed. Cal could be so stuck up sometimes. He thought just because he came from a wealthy family anyone with less money than him deserved to kiss his feet.

"Honestly Cal" Ruth scolded "if you weren't forever booking everything at the last instant, we could have gone through the main terminal instead of running along the dock like some immigrant family.

Rose glared at her mother. She too was, like Cal, obsessed with money.

"All part of my charm Ruth," Cal smiled "at any rate, it was my daring fiancé's dress routine that made us late" he laughed placing his hand on Roses waist. Rose winced at his touch and shrugged the unwanted hand off immediately.

"You told me to change" she muttered.

"Well I couldn't let you wear black on the sailing day sweet pea",

"I felt like black" Rose said softly.

Jack looked out of the pub window, at the stunning ship, his blue eyes shining with anticipation of what the next ten minutes may bring.

"You stupid fish head" a man named Sven was saying, "I can't believe you bet our tickets!"

Jack looked greedily onto the table, studying the small pile of coins, bills and two 3rd class RMS Titanic tickets.

"You Bastardo" Jacks best friend Fabrizio yelled in his strong Italian accent "you bet everything we have!"

Jack turned to him, brushing an ear length stand of dirty blonde hair out of his piercing blue eyes.

"When you've got nothing, you've got nothing to lose," he said confidently, the sparkle in his eye flickering like a candle flame.

He then reached for another card and studied it slowly. The whole table had gone quiet. All eyes were on him. His eyes gave nothing away, the poker face he'd spent years mastering was on display.

"Alright the moment of truth," Jack said, rubbing his eager hands together, "somebody's life about to change."

Fabrizio slammed down his cards with a dramatic flair.

"niente" Jack commented raising his eyebrow

"niente" replied Fabrizio throwing his hands up in despair.

"Olaf you've got nothing." He continued, observing the men's cards. "Sven," Jack said turning to the other man "uh oh… two pair" Jack bit his lip, turning to his Italian friend.

"I'm sorry Fabrizio" said Jack looking apologetic.

"What sorry? What you got? You lose all my money? Ma va fa'n culo testa di cazzo" he started to rave on in Italian.

Jack shook his friend by the shoulders, as a cheeky childish grin started to spread across his face.

"I'm sorry you're not going to see your mama for a long time."

Fabrizio looked at Jack, wide-eyed, waiting for what was coming next. Jack slammed his royal flash triumphantly. Poor Sven's eyes almost popped out of his head.

"Cause we're going to America, full house boys" Jack screamed, his eyes shining.

Fabrizio bust into Italian, giving yells of pure joy.

"I go to America" he shrieked at anyone and everyone listening, shoving the crumpled tickets in their faces.

Jack jumped up from the table and hugged Fabrizio, grabbing the tickets from him, and kissing the printed paper.

"I'm going home" Jack laughed joyously.

"I go to America" Fabrizio continued screeching.

"No mate," said the seriously faced bartender. The two boys turned to face him, curious as to what he meant "titanic go to America in 5 minutes" he said signalling to the clock. 11:55 the clock read.

Jack cursed under his breath.

"Come on Fabri," he said, grabbing his bag, and pulling all the money from the table into the old potato sack the pair carried around with them. "Let's go."

The two boys sprinted down the crowded pavement, and up to the 3rd class ramp just as they saw the door start to close.

"Wait, wait we're passengers" yelled Jack, shoving the ticket in the officer's face. The man had a pained expression on his face. It was the _why would you do this to me, my wife forced me to get up at 5 am and I really would prefer not to be here now_ kind of look.

"Have you been through the inspection Queue?" he asked, staring them down.

Jack and Fabri nodded their heads fiercely.

"Of course" Jack lied happily, but the officer still looked unconvinced.

"Anyway we don't have any lice we're Americans" Jack looked back at his Italian friend, who was smiling at the guard innocently

"Both of us" the officer looked at them tensely, Squinting his beady eyes.

"Are you?" asked the officer turning to Fabrizio gazing fiercely at him. Fabrizio nodded his head, hardly daring to breathe.

"Speak you imbecile," said the officer, yelling sightly. Jack looked nervously at Fabrizio, who was licking his dried lips.

"Si, I'm American," he said in an awful attempt of an American accent. The officer rolled his eyes, before shutting and bolting the metal door.

Rose looked around the lush room filled with expensive furniture and beautiful paintings. Everything was so worthless to her. She didn't care about how much her dress cost or whether her earrings were made from real rubies or glass. She was a doll. A beautiful trophy made to be shown off to anyone who passed. At least that's how the world treated her. Inside she was screaming, but if she dared make a sound who knows what would happen to her. She couldn't breathe. Her corset was digging into her ribs, trying to change them into a shape that they were not. Sweat started to trickle down her forehead. She felt short of breath. The room was spinning and closing in on her. Her heart was beating so loudly it took over her whole head. It felt like her feet were about to slip out from underneath her

Carl walked over to her, wrapping himself around her and pulling her close.

"Give me a kiss Rose". He whispered in her jewelled ear. Rose felt as though she was going to throw up. Using all her strength, she shoved Carl toward the wall and started to run. She didn't know where she was going, or what she was doing. All she knew was that she needed to get out. Get out, and off this slave ship.

"Are you alright?" A gorgeous blonde boy asked. His skin was a deep gold and his eyes were the brightest blue Rose had ever seen.

"That was quite a jump there." Rose's cheeks grew hot and a pink colour slowly spread over her.

"I'm fine," she said, hastily brushing down her dress, hot tears welling in her eyes. What had she done, she'd just left behind everything she had ever known and now there was nothing.

"This is Fabrizio," the boy said, pointing to a tanned boy standing a few feet away, the boy glanced back at Rose, exactly when a tear slid down her pale cheek.

"Hey, hey hey." The boy said, putting his strong arm around her shoulder, "what's the matter."

Rose tried to speak but couldn't get any words through her sobs. She shouldn't be sad. She knew that it was just such a shock. Carl was so disgusting and now he was finally gone, but so was her mother, who although was a pain, Rose still loved very much. Now this beautiful kind more was showing her more kindness than she'd been shown in her whole life. She didn't know what to do with herself.

"It's okay, you don't have to tell me." the boy said, holding her tightly, "my names Jack Dawson, and me and my friend here will take good care of you, Miss..?"

"I'm Rose Dewitt bukater." Rose managed to say, wiping her eyes and taking deep breaths.

"I might have to get you to write that one down for me," Jack said smiling brightly, showing a set of white teeth.

Rose laughed in spite of herself, things were finally getting better.

"So tell me, la belle rosa," Fabrizio said, "why were you trying to jump of Titanic when most people would kill to be on it?"

Rose looked down. Her life sure would be different now, but she had a feeling it was going to be good.


End file.
